Large format porcelain sheet offers fresh design options

It’s not always the latest thing that makes forthe best possible design outcome – but it can be. Florim Stone, offered in New Zealand by kitchen solution experts Archant, is not only fresh to the market, it also offers many advantages that other surfaces can’t compete with.

Florim Stone is a new large-format porcelain sheet ideal for decorative surfaces. Lightweight, highly versatile and with stand-out aesthetic presence, the new material opens up uncharted possibilities in kitchen and bathroom design, letting designers create high-end settings they could not achieve before.

Manufactured from a natural blend of clays and minerals, Florim Stone is impervious to stains and resistant to extreme high temperatures and UV rays. Plus, the advanced material is scratch-resistant, fade-proof, waterproof, completely hygienic and easy to clean.

Archant senior manager Jason Ranston says Florim’s versatility, broad range of finishes and sheer wow factor make it a real game changer.

“First off, it’s a beautiful, highly functional product. Porcelain stoneware is subjected to a firing process at over 1200°C, making it resistant to wear, mechanical stress and thermal stress – hence its exceptionally high overall material performance.

“Then there’s Florim Stone’s major drawcard of sheer design flexibility,” Ranston says. “Available in two thicknesses, Florim sheeting options include the crisp neutrality of black or white tones, a warm wood-look texture, the refined appeal of veined marble or the stand- out impact of a metal-, or concrete-look surface.”

The most popular of Florim’s looks is marble. Finishing a kitchen wall, island or even a splashback in marble dug out of a Tuscan hillside is detrimental to the environment in terms of an extremely high carbon footprint. However, the large-format Florim porcelain sheets, typically 3m wide, boast the luxurious look of fine marble but with a fraction of the impact to the planet.

With four décor looks available in the Marble Collection, there is one to transform your space.

The Cement and Metal Collections evoke industrial-look colours for bold, contemporary imitations of raw concrete or rusted metal.

Capturing the natural look of stone, the four colours in the Stone Collection range from cool grey to warm beige to a deep and moody black effect. This versatile and popular range is ideal for complementing cabinetry and is an easy way to introduce refined tones into a room.

Lastly, for minimalism and clean colour, the Colour Collection features straight white or black porcelain sheets. Offered in a matte finish, this range creates a crisp, edgy aesthetic.

Florim is a breath of fresh air for those looking for a clean, minimal design without surface interruptions. And because it is offered in two thicknesses you can complete every part of the kitchen – benchtop, cabinet face, island front, toekick or splashback – in the same surface. In addition, Florim can achieve the same pristine matching decor in the bathroom.

Myriad patterns and textures – some echoing expensive statuary stones – various sizes and an extremely convenient, large-format product offering mean Florim Stone adds up to a surface that any designer would be proud to work with.

For more on Florim Stone surfaces, visit the Archant showroom 1/115 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell, Auckland 1052, phone 0800 272 4268 or alternatively head online: www.archant.co.nz

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Mark Scowen